Market offers handmade goods, vintage finds
On Friday local vendors artfully displayed their artisanal wares and vintage treasures on tables and in stalls on Main Street as the second Moon Market of the summer extended long past sunset.
Kayleigh Sarnese and Riley Donahue, both college students, stood in front of a stall of handcrafted soaps. Foodie Friday — a block away — had drawn them in. On the way, they stopped to browse through Moon Markets’ offerings. While Sarnese and Donahue have been to Foodie Fridays on previous weekends, they are new to the markets.
“I’m just excited to see what it’s all about and for it to be a regular part of my schedule,” said Sarnese, Butler resident and Slippery Rock University student.
“I love to thrift. And I love vintage things in general. This is just a great combination of those things,” she said.
Glass necklaces, drinking horns, repurposed clothing, homemade mead, crocheted stuffed animals, vintage children’s books and hand-poured candles were among the array of eclectic handcrafted and upcycled items for sale by local businesses and independent artists.
On Friday local vendors artfully displayed their artisanal wares and vintage treasures on tables and in stalls on Main Street as the second Moon Market of the summer extended long past sunset.
Kayleigh Sarnese and Riley Donahue, both college students, stood in front of a stall of handcrafted soaps. Foodie Friday — a block away — had drawn them in. On the way, they stopped to browse through Moon Markets’ offerings. While Sarnese and Donahue have been to Foodie Fridays on previous weekends, they are new to the markets.
“I’m just excited to see what it’s all about and for it to be a regular part of my schedule,” said Sarnese, Butler resident and Slippery Rock University student.
“I love to thrift. And I love vintage things in general. This is just a great combination of those things,” she said.
Glass necklaces, drinking horns, repurposed clothing, homemade mead, crocheted stuffed animals, vintage children’s books and hand-poured candles were among the array of eclectic handcrafted and upcycled items for sale by local businesses and independent artists.
“We love all the homemade and handmade things,” Brittany Cercone, of New Castle, said. “I love to honor and respect other artists.”
Buying handcrafted goods, sold by local creators, is not the same as buying mass-produced items created through “fast production,” said Brittany’s sister, Stephanie Cercone. She said she enjoys the community feel of the event and the unique tastes on display.
For vendors such as Antonia Macias, a Pittsburgh-based nurse at Allegheny General Hospital and owner of Witch Hazel Jewelry, creating products is a serious venture — not just a hobby — she said.
Macias, who describes her aesthetic as “dark femme,” said her jewelry is inspired by her personal style and by the natural world. Her rings, for example, are set with organic material, such as birchwood, and ethically sourced bones alongside precious gemstones and metals such as sterling silver and copper.
Moon Market attendees could stop at pop-ups in front of brick-and-mortar storefronts such as Grows On Main, Benjamin Beetle and Miller’s Quality Meats.
Down the block, the line for cupcakes from StudeCakers grew longer. ’90s hits, played by DJ Mark Buchek, blasted in the parking lot of First English Lutheran Church.
Jaziah Godson and Marjani Wilson, both freshmen at Butler Area Senior High School, said more walkable and open-air events should be held in Butler. Marjani and Jaziah, whose go-to Foodie Friday treats are quesadillas and chicken tenders, are big fans of Moon Markets. They said they enjoy the selection of handcrafted and vintage items. “Vintage stuff” inspires their personal style, they said.
Jaziah said she enjoys the conversations on Main Street.
“Everyone’s very friendly,” Marjani said.
The next Moon Markets of the summer are scheduled July 21 and August 18.
